The Wisconsin Badgers are well-represented in the upcoming Pro Bowl games, featuring four of their former players.
Linebackers Zack Baun and Andrew Van Ginkel are included on the NFC roster, with Baun playing for the Philadelphia Eagles and Van Ginkel for the Minnesota Vikings. Meanwhile, TJ Watt and Jonathan Taylor will represent the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts on the AFC roster.
Zack Baun expressed that receiving this recognition validates the effort he’s invested over the years. “It’s all about development. I didn’t enter the league expecting to excel as an inside linebacker; I understood it would take time. There were challenges, but I remained dedicated and kept working,” he shared recently, as reported by Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
“When I was with New Orleans, I was putting in the same amount of effort as the starters were,” Baun added. “I prepared for this opportunity, knowing I had to seize it and perform.”
This year, Zack Baun is thriving with the Philadelphia Eagles. In his first full season, the 28-year-old has recorded 151 tackles, including 11 for a loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception, four pass deflections, five forced fumbles, and five quarterback hits. Baun currently ranks first in forced fumbles, second in tackles, and fifth in tackles for loss among off-ball linebackers.
Having played for the Wisconsin Badgers from 2015 to 2019, Zack Baun is the first Eagles position player to earn a Pro Bowl selection in his first year with the team since Donovan McNabb in 2000, and the first defensive player to do so since Bill Bradley in 1971.
